Welcome to the 23rd monthly round-up of developments impacting your local access networks.
Availability and affordability of the internet have a major impact on whether women are able to access and use it. In this article, the authors explore what happens when community networks bring the internet closer to women and the small and big ways in which this changes their lives.
TEDIC is a Paraguayan non-profit organisation founded in 2012 that develops open civic technology and defends digital rights for a free culture on the internet. And now it is also one of the APC network's newest member organisations!
Connecting the Unconnected: Supporting community networks and other community-based connectivity initiatives
This project will contribute to an enabling ecosystem for the emergence and growth of community networks and other community-based connectivity initiatives in developing countries. It is part of a multi-year, multi-donor strategy envisaged to address the human capacity and sustainability challenges, along with the policy and regulatory obstacles, that limit the growth of community-based connectivity initiatives.
Challenging hate narratives and violations of freedom of religion and expression online in Asia
This project seeks to protect and promote respect for freedom of religion and expression on the internet, particularly by countering hate speech online on the basis of religion, and generating narratives and discourse that defend secular and diverse opinions touching upon religion. The three-year project focuses on five countries in South and Southeast Asia: Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Myanmar and Pakistan.
FIRN: Feminist Internet Research Network
The Feminist Internet Research Network is a three-and-a-half-year collaborative and multidisciplinary research project led by APC, funded by the International Development Research Centre. The project draws on the study “Mapping research in gender and digital technology”, and the Feminist Principles of the Internet collectively crafted by feminists and activists, primarily located in the global South.
Take Back the Tech!
Take Back the Tech! is a call to everyone, especially women and girls, to take control of technology to end violence against women. It is a global, collaborative campaign project that highlights the problem of tech-related violence against women, together with research and solutions from around the world. Take Back the Tech! leads several campaigns at various points in the year, but our biggest annual campaign takes place during 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence (25 Nov - 10 Dec).
This visually stunning photo essay provides a glimpse into the life of a community network and the women working at the radio station and using the other services provided by the network, located just at the outskirts of Bangalore in India.
Last week I wrote about ethical frameworks for artificial intelligence. This week I’ll draw on one initiative among these.
In this layered podcast, Marcela and Luisa, members of Portal sem Porteiras, explore their excitement over the possibilities of their community network and how they are re-finding meaning and solace in connections.
Columns
David Souter writes a column for APC twice a month, looking at different aspects of the information society, development and rights. David’s pieces take a fresh look at many of the issues that concern APC and its members, with the aim of provoking discussion and debate. Issues covered include internet governance and sustainable development, human rights and the environment, policy, practice and the use of ICTs by individuals and communities.
The internet of memory: Stories from the APC community
What were information and communication technologies like in the 1980s and 1990s? What are the stories of the genesis and evolution of non-profit computer networks working for social change? Twice a month, this section will take a historical look at the APC community's journey of internet activism and make links to where we are now. Join Jennifer Radloff in this retrospective trip exploring the connections between the past and the present.
We condemn the blatant attacks on Maryam Lee’s constitutional and internationally guaranteed rights, which are also inconsistent with commitments made by Malaysia at the Human Rights Council to repeal laws that restrict fundamental freedoms.
Recently there have been a flurry of proposals to “regulate the internet”, which in practice boils down to more narrowly regulating online content. In order to suggest a principles-based approach to regulation, this issue paper highlights positive and negative aspects of some recent initiativ...
The 2019 edition of Global Information Society Watch (GISWatch) will be officially launching next month, and this is your chance to have a first look at full-length content through this special GISWatch 2019 Sneak Peek!
This report aims to outline the interruptions and their effects on certain social networks, mobile communications, websites and internet connections in the context of the recent national political crisis and social mobilisation in Ecuador in October 2019 against the austerity measures adopted as ...
A group of human rights activists and organisations from Southeast Asia are calling to stop the attacks on democracy and media activists, as well as other individuals-at-risk, for their expression online.
APC's 2018 Annual Report offers an engaging dive into one year in the network's life. All the 67 stories are clustered under the six priority areas that have informed APC's work from 2016 until 2019: Access, rights, a feminist internet, governance, use and development and APC community.
Changes in access policy and regulation are required, in particular with regard to the management of radio spectrum, which is still largely rooted in 20th century analogue paradigms. This report is intended as a resource for regulators and policy makers tasked with addressing affordable access.
At the Association for Progressive Communications (APC) we are alarmed at the crackdown on Egyptian civil society, which has intensified over the past weeks amidst demonstrations calling for President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to resign. Among those arrested is blogger, software developer and activist...
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